n6 The Story of The Bronx 



The delegates chosen for the convention at White Plains 

 were James Ferris, Colonel Lewis Morris, and Thomas 

 Hunt. 



The convention met at White Plains under the chairman- 

 ship of Colonel Frederick Philipse, a member of the Provincial 

 Assembly, and selected as representatives of the county of 

 Westchester, Isaac Low, Philip Livingston, James Duane, 

 John Alsop, and John Jay, all of whom had already been 

 chosen by the city and county of New York to represent it 

 in the Continental Congress. So that officially, at least, 

 Westchester County was marching side by side with the 

 other sections of the country in their condemnation of the 

 unconstitutional acts of the Parliament and in a desire for a 

 redress of grievances. But the great majority of the inhabi- 

 tants was either indifferent, or openly hostile, to the patriotic 

 action of the leaders. The loyalist papers teemed with pro- 

 tests from inhabitants of the county, and broadsides of like 

 tenor were issued. 



On April 13, 1775, a very respectable number of freeholders 

 and inhabitants of the county again assembled at White 

 Plains, "for the purpose of choosing delegates to represent 

 this colony in the next Continental Congress." The delegates 

 were duly chosen by a minority of the convention, the ma- 

 jority refusing to take part in the proceedings, and drawing up 

 a protest, of which the following is an extract, which was 

 signed by over three hundred persons, among whom we find 

 many inhabitants of the Borough : 



"We, the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the 

 county of Westchester, having assembled at the White Plains, 

 in consequence of certain advertisements, do now declare, 

 that we met here to express our honest abhorrence of all unlaw- 

 ful congresses and committees and that we are determined, at 



